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London Coliseum
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{{Short description|Theatre in London}} {{About|the London theatre in St. Martin's Lane|the former building to the east of Regent's Park|London Colosseum|other uses|Coliseum Theatre (disambiguation)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}} {{Use British English|date=April 2012}} {{Infobox Theatre | name = London Coliseum | image = London Coliseum.jpg | caption = London Coliseum in 2004 | address = [[St Martin's Lane]] | city = [[London]], [[WC postcode area|WC2]] | country = United Kingdom | publictransit = {{Ubl | {{rint|london|underground}} {{lus|Charing Cross}}; {{lus|Leicester Square}} | {{rint|gb|Rail}} {{rws|Charing Cross}} }} | designation = [[Listed building|Grade II*]] | coordinates = {{coord|51.509722|-0.126389|type:landmark|display=inline,title}} | architect = [[Frank Matcham]] | owner = [[English National Opera]] | capacity = 2,359 seats on 3 tiers (4 levels) | opened = {{Ubl | {{Start date and age|1904|12|24|df=yes}} }} | renovated = 2000β2004 | yearsactive = | othernames = {{Ubl | ''The Coliseum Theatre'' | ''London Coliseum Theatre of Varieties'' }} | production = <!--''[[Hairspray (musical)|Hairspray]]''--> | currentuse = Opera house | website = {{URL|londoncoliseum.org}} }} [[File:London Coliseum Auditorium 2018-09-23 7.jpg|upright=1.35|thumb|Interior showing stage, orchestra pit, boxes, and seating.]] [[File:London Coliseum Auditorium Ceiling 2018-09-23 1.jpg|upright=1.35|thumb|The domed ceiling]] The '''London Coliseum''' (also known as the '''Coliseum Theatre''') is a theatre in [[St Martin's Lane]], [[City of Westminster|Westminster]], built as one of [[London]]'s largest and most luxurious "family" [[variety theatre]]s. Opened on 24 December 1904 as the '''London Coliseum Theatre of Varieties''', it was designed by the [[architect]] [[Frank Matcham]] for the [[impresario]] [[Oswald Stoll]].<ref name="cinematreasures">{{cite web|title=London Coliseum|url=http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/11041|publisher=Cinema Treasures|access-date=15 January 2010|author=KenRoe|archive-date=4 June 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604002740/http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/11041|url-status=live}}</ref> Their ambition was to build the largest and finest [[music hall]], described as the "people's palace of entertainment" of its age.<ref name=AL>{{cite web|last=Lloyd|first=Arthur|title=The London Coliseum, St. Martin's Lane, London, WC2|url=http://www.arthurlloyd.co.uk/LondonColiseum.htm|publisher=Arthurlloyd.co.uk|access-date=28 November 2014}}</ref> At the time of construction, the Coliseum was one of the few theatres in Europe to provide lifts for taking patrons to the upper levels of the house,<ref>In London the Royal Albert Hall, opened in 1871, also offered visitors this amenity.</ref> and was the first theatre in England to have a triple [[revolving stage|revolve]] installed on its stage. The theatre has 2,359 seats making it the largest theatre in London. After being used for variety shows, musical comedies, and stage plays for many years, then as a cinema screening films in the [[Cinerama]] format between 1963 and 1968, the [[Sadler's Wells Theatre|Sadler's Wells Opera Company]] moved into the building in 1968. The Sadler's Wells company changed its name to the [[English National Opera]] in 1974 and today it is used primarily for opera as well as being the London home of the [[English National Ballet]]. == History == The London Coliseum was built by the [[architect]] [[Frank Matcham]] who intended it to be one of London's largest and most luxurious "family" variety theatres. Construction began in 1903 and the venue opened on 24 December the following year as the London Coliseum Theatre of Varieties. It is located in [[St Martin's Lane]], London.<ref name="ENO">[http://www.eno.org/about/eno-past/history-of-the-coliseum "History of the Coliseum"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150726165824/http://www.eno.org/about/eno-past/history-of-the-coliseum |date=26 July 2015}}, English National Opera. Retrieved 26 July 2015.</ref> Matcham built the theatre for the theatrical impresario [[Oswald Stoll|Sir Oswald Stoll]] and had the ambition of it being the largest and finest "People's palace of entertainment" of the age.<ref name="ENO" /> Matcham wanted a Theatre of Variety β not a music hall but equally not highbrow entertainment. The resulting programme was a mix of music hall and variety theatre, with one act β a full scale revolving chariot race β requiring the stage to revolve. The theatre's original slogan was PRO BONO PUBLICO (For the public good). It was opened in 1904 and the inaugural performance was a variety bill on 24 December that year. [[English Heritage]], in its description of the theatre when it was given listed status in 1960 notes that it is "exuberant Free Baroque ambitious design, the Edwardian "Theatre de Luxe of London" with richly decorated interiors and a vast and grandiose auditorium."<ref name=EH /> The description continues: "Lavish foyer and circulation areas with marble facings, culminating in vast 3-tier auditorium with wealth of eclectic classical detail of Byzantine opulence, some motifs such as the squat columns dividing the lowest tier of slip boxes, backing the stalls, almost Sullivanesque; pairs of 2-tiered bow fronted boxes with domed canopies at gallery level and semi-domed, Ionic-columned pairs of 2 tiered orchestra boxes, contained in arched and pedimented frames surmounted by sculptural groups with lion-drawn chariots. Great, semi-circular, blocked architrave proscenium arch with cartouche- trophy keystone."<ref name=EH /> The inaugural performance was a [[Variety show|variety]] bill on 24 December 1904, but it "was a total failure and closed down completely only two years after opening in 1906 and remained closed until December of 1907 when it was reopened and at last became successful."<ref name=AL /> In 1908, the London Coliseum was host to a cricket match between Middlesex and Surrey.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/710639.html |title=When cricket hit the West End |publisher=ESPNcricinfo |date=18 January 2014 |access-date=18 January 2014}}</ref> In 1911, dramatist [[W. S. Gilbert]] produced his last play here, ''[[The Hooligan]]''. The theatre changed its name from the London Coliseum to the Coliseum Theatre between 1931 and 1968 when a run of 651 performances of the operetta ''[[The White Horse Inn (operetta)|White Horse Inn]]'' began on 8 April 1931. Additionally, Arthur Lewis notes<ref name=AL /> that: :Pantomimes began in 1936 with ''Cinderella'' and continued regularly until 1946. In 1947 the musical ''[[Annie Get Your Gun (musical)|Annie Get Your Gun]]'' was staged at the Coliseum and had a staggeringly successful run for the time, of 1,304 performances and three continuous years which was the longest run in theatrical history. There then followed a long run of major American hits beginning with ''[[Kiss Me, Kate]]'' in 1951, ''[[Guys And Dolls]]'' in 1953, ''[[Pajama Game|The Pajama Game]]'' in 1955, and ''[[Damn Yankees]]'' in 1957. But this exceptional period did at last come to an end in 1957 when the production of ''[[Bells Are Ringing (musical)|Bells Are Ringing]]'' failed to enthrall anyone. The Coliseum reverted to the original name when the Sadler's Wells Opera Company moved there in 1968 and, in 1974, the Company changed its name to become the English National Opera; it bought the freehold of the building for Β£12.8 million in 1992.<ref name=AL /> The Coliseum hosted both the 2004 and 2006 [[Royal Variety Performance]]s and is also the London base for performances by [[English National Ballet]], which perform regular seasons throughout the year when not on tour. [[The Who]] performed there and recorded their concert, on 14 December 1969.{{citation needed|date=October 2020}} == Technical aspects == While its wing space is limited due to the constricted site on which the theatre was built, as Lloyd notes, "the stage of the London Coliseum was also on a vast scale; 55 feet wide by 92 feet deep".<ref name=AL/> The stage is not [[rake (theatre)|raked]]. It has the widest [[proscenium arch]] in London and was one of the first to have electric lighting. It was built with a triple [[revolving stage]], although this was rarely used. The Coliseum was originally designed to seat 2,939 people on four levels.<ref name=AL/> Despite the seating capacity being reduced since the Theatre's opening, it still has the largest seating capacity of any Theatre in the West End at 2,359.<ref name="ENO" /> The theatre retains many of its original features and was given a [[listed building|Grade II* listed building]] by English Heritage in September 1960. Prior to Sadler's Wells Opera Company taking over the Coliseum in 1968, the house was "fully restored, redecorated, and a large orchestra pit installed". It reopened on 21 August 1968, with a production of the opera ''Don Giovanni''.<ref name=AL/> Another extensive renovation took place between 2000 and 2004.<ref name=EH>{{NHLE |num=1236022 |desc=The Coliseum Theatre (English National Opera) |access-date=28 April 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Higgins|first=Charlotte|title=The Guardian Profile: Martin Smith|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2005/dec/16/arts.artsnews1|work=[[The Guardian]]|publisher=London|access-date=23 January 2013|date=15 December 2005}}</ref> when the design team included the architects [[RHWL]] and [[Arup Group Limited|Arup]] as acousticians and building engineers. The London Coliseum has two lifts which provide step-free access for disabled patrons to all levels, except the Upper Circle.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://seatplan.com/london/london-coliseum-theatre/access/|title=Accessibility at London Coliseum {{!}} SeatPlan|website=SeatPlan|language=en|access-date=28 August 2018}}</ref> ==Use as a cinema== Periodically, the Coliseum was used to show films and, when the "'talkies' arrived at the Coliseum in 1933, films were run at the theatre for a year. The greatest sensation at this time was the showing of ''[[King Kong (1933 film)|King Kong]]'' which ran at the Coliseum for months with 10,000 people seeing the film there every day."<ref name=AL/> After a lacklustre period of poorly received musicals came to an end, in June 1961 the theatre was leased by [[Metro Goldwyn Mayer|MGM]] for use as a cinema during the period that the [[Empire, Leicester Square]] was closed for rebuilding. The initial presentation, from 6 June, was a revival of ''[[Gone With the Wind (film)|Gone With the Wind]]'' which ran for 3 months. On 2 November the World Premiere of ''[[Bachelor in Paradise (film)|Bachelor in Paradise]]'' took place in the presence of the film's star, Bob Hope, and following this, on 15 November, was the UK premiere of [[Samuel Bronston]]'s epic ''[[King of Kings (1961 film)|King of Kings]]''. MGM continued to use the theatre even after the new [[Empire, Leicester Square]] reopened in December 1962, but MGM's lease expired on 19 May 1963 and the theatre was then leased by the [[Cinerama]] Corporation to become the second of London's Cinerama locations (after the [[Prince Edward Theatre|Casino Cinerama]]). Conversion to three-strip projection which used three projectors was undertaken, and an 80 ft wide, 30 ft tall deeply curved screen was installed. Beginning on 16 July 1963, the theatre was renamed the Coliseum Cinerama, with the UK premiere of ''[[The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm]]''. This film transferred to the third of London's Cinerama houses, the [[Peacock Theatre|Royalty Theatre]] on 27 November and the Coliseum was converted for single-projector Cinerama using 70mm film for the Gala UK Premiere of ''[[It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, World]]'' on 2 December 1963. Other 70mm films followed, ''The Magnificent Showman'' (the UK Title of ''[[Circus World (film)|Circus World]]''), ''[[The Great Race]]'' (a 35mm "blow up") and ''[[The Bible (film)|The Bible]]''. With fewer films made in the format, it later became difficult to programme the theatre. It resorted to revivals of old 70mm movies before opening ''[[The Comedians (1967 film)|The Comedians]]'' on 18 January 1968 (a 70mm Panavision blow up). This ran for nine weeks and was followed by a revival of the 1956 Todd-AO epic ''[[Around the World in 80 Days (1956 film)|Around the World in 80 Days]]'', the first time this film had been shown in 70mm in London. This ran until 22 May 1968 when Cinerama pulled out and the theatre reverted to live use.<ref name="cinematreasures"/> == References == {{Reflist}} == Further reading == * Earl, John and Michael Sell, ''Guide to British Theatres 1750β1950'', Theatres Trust, 2000 pp. 121β122 {{ISBN|0-7136-5688-3}} * Glasstone, Victor, ''Victorian and Edwardian Theatres'' London: Thames and Hudson, 1975 == External links == {{Commons category|Coliseum Theatre}} * [https://www.eno.org/ English National Opera site] * [https://londoncoliseum.org/ Official London Coliseum website] {{Theatres in London}} {{London landmarks}} {{OlivierAward OperaProduction 2001β2025}} {{Authority control}} [[Category:West End theatres]] [[Category:Theatres completed in 1904]] [[Category:Opera in London]] [[Category:Opera houses in England]] [[Category:Theatres in the City of Westminster]] [[Category:Grade II* listed buildings in the City of Westminster]] [[Category:Grade II* listed theatres]] [[Category:Music venues completed in 1904]] [[Category:Ballet venues in the United Kingdom]]
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